Denmark joins other EU nations in banning face veils from being worn in public

2018-06-01 2

Now for a look at stories making headlines around the world and we start in Denmark…
The country's parliament has passed a law that bans wearing face-covering garments in public.
This would mostly affect Muslim women who wear Islamic veils.
For more on this and other international news we turn to our Ro Aram…
Aram... this new rule will certainly not go down well with the Muslim community in Denmark… what are the details…

Well Mark… Denmark has now joined a number of European countries, including France and Belgium, to ban such garments from being worn in public.
The law, which was presented by the center-right governing coalition, was passed in a 75 to 30 vote on Thursday with 74 absentees.
Lawmakers said face veils go against Danish values as they passed the bill.
It is set to be implemented from August, but will allow people to cover their face in what the law states as "recognizable purpose."
This includes, for example, wearing scarfs in cold weather or a motorcycle helmet to adhere to traffic laws.
Besides those reasons, police will be able to instruct people to remove their veils or order them to leave public areas or even pay a fine.
However, the ban is facing widespread criticism as it being seen as directly targeting dresses worn by some conservative Muslim women.
Critics say women have the right to dress as they choose and express their identity and beliefs.